Infectious Disease and Bloodborne Pathogens Policy

South Plains College Dental Hygiene Program
For Faculty/Staff, Applicants/Students, and Patients

Commitment to Safety

South Plains College is dedicated to providing access to quality education and patient care while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all students, faculty, staff, and patients.
This policy is based on current scientific and medical information and complies with all applicable regulations and recommendations from:

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  • The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
  • Other relevant state and national public health agencies

The policy will be reviewed annually, or more frequently as new information becomes available, to ensure continued alignment with federal and state standards.

Purpose

This policy establishes the responsibilities, procedures, and precautions necessary to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases and bloodborne pathogens within the South Plains College Dental Hygiene Program.
It is designed to protect patients, students, faculty, and staff from exposure to infectious agents such as Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and other communicable diseases.
The policy ensures compliance with CDC and OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) and institutional health protocols.

Scope

This policy applies to all students, faculty, and staff engaged in didactic, laboratory, preclinical, and clinical settings where exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) may occur.

Admission, Employment, and Patient Care

  • Individuals who are seropositive for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or other infectious diseases will not be denied admission, employment, or patient care opportunities solely on the basis of their health status.
  • Reasonable accommodations will be provided unless medical evidence shows that restrictions are necessary to protect the health of the individual or others.
  • Decisions regarding individuals with infectious diseases will be made on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with current medical guidance, legal requirements, and confidentiality protections.
  • Patients with active hepatitis will not be scheduled until clearance is received from their physician indicating non-infectious status.
  • Patients whose care needs exceed the scope of the dental hygiene clinic will be referred to an appropriate healthcare provider at their own expense.

Consent and Testing

  • Patients must sign a consent form acknowledging the risks of clinical care and agreeing to undergo bloodborne pathogen testing if a student or employee is exposed to their blood or body fluids.
  • Patients may be responsible for the costs of such testing.
  • Students who experience an occupational exposure must follow post-exposure protocols, including immediate reporting, medical evaluation, and recommended testing.

Standard Precautions

All students, faculty, and staff must follow Universal/Standard Precautions at all times in all patient care and laboratory activities.
These include:

  • Use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, eyewear, and protective clothing.
  • Hand hygiene before and after patient contact and after glove removal.
  • Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette and safe handling of sharps.
  • Proper sterilization and disinfection of instruments, equipment, and surfaces.
  • Immediate reporting of any breach in infection control protocol to supervising faculty.

Health Clearance and Immunizations

All students must provide documentation of the following prior to clinical participation:

  • Hepatitis B vaccination (series and titer or signed declination)
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
  • Varicella (Chickenpox)
  • Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
  • Annual influenza vaccination (or signed declination)
  • Tuberculosis (TB) screening annually

Immunizations must remain current throughout enrollment, and updated documentation must be on file prior to participation in any clinical or laboratory activities.

Exposure Control Plan

The Dental Hygiene Program maintains a written Exposure Control Plan in compliance with OSHA regulations.
This plan outlines preventive measures, post-exposure procedures, and medical follow-up processes.
It is reviewed and updated annually and is available for review in the clinic operations manual.

Exposure Incident Procedure

In the event of exposure to blood or OPIM (e.g., needlestick injury, cut, or mucous membrane exposure):

  1. Immediately wash the area with soap and water; if eyes are affected, flush at the eyewash station for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Notify the supervising faculty member immediately.
  3. Complete an Exposure Incident Report before leaving the facility.
  4. Seek immediate medical evaluation and post-exposure follow-up as directed.
  5. The Program Director and college health/safety designee will review all incidents and coordinate follow-up based on CDC recommendations.

All exposure incidents are treated as confidential medical events and will be documented for compliance and trend analysis.

Infection Control Training and Competency

  • All students must complete infection control training prior to participating in any patient care activities.
  • Competency in infection control and Standard Precautions will be assessed during preclinical courses and continually re-evaluated.
  • Faculty and staff will receive annual OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen training.
  • Students are expected to competently provide care to patients with bloodborne infectious diseases as part of their clinical training, under faculty supervision.

Illness and Attendance

Students, faculty, or staff who exhibit symptoms of communicable illness (e.g., fever, cough, vomiting, rash, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, or COVID-like symptoms) must:

  • Refrain from attending clinic, lab, or classroom activities.
  • Notify the Clinic Coordinator or Program Director immediately.

Refusal to Treat

Students are not permitted to refuse treatment of patients with known or suspected infectious diseases.
Professionalism, ethical standards, and patient rights require equitable care for all individuals.
Failure to comply may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the program.

Confidentiality and Disclosure

  • The health status of any student, patient, faculty, or staff member—including the presence of an infectious disease—will be treated with strict confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and FERPA regulations.
  • Disclosure of information will occur only on a legitimate “need-to-know” basis.
  • All records pertaining to immunizations, exposure incidents, or medical follow-up are maintained in secure files.

Management of Students with Infectious Disease

  • A student diagnosed with a communicable disease (e.g., HBV, HCV, HIV, COVID-19, or tuberculosis) will not be excluded from participation solely based on diagnosis.
  • The program will conduct an individualized assessment in collaboration with the student, healthcare provider, and college administration.
  • Reasonable accommodations will be provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), provided patient and public safety are maintained.

Return to Clinical or Laboratory Activities

Students may return to clinic or lab participation only when:

  • They are symptom-free, and
  • They have been medically cleared by a healthcare provider, if applicable.
    Written documentation of fitness to return must be submitted to the Program Director.

Training and Acknowledgment

All students and employees must review this policy annually and sign the Infectious Disease and Bloodborne Pathogens Policy Acknowledgment Form during program orientation.
Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action, removal from clinical activities, or dismissal from the program.

Summary

The South Plains College Dental Hygiene Program is committed to:

  • Protecting the health and safety of patients, students, faculty, and staff.
  • Maintaining compliance with all CDC, OSHA, and state public health regulations.
  • Ensuring non-discrimination against individuals with infectious diseases.
  • Promoting ethical, professional, and evidence-based infection control practices.

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